Metal-punching apparatus



July 26, 1927.

' G. P. THOMAS METAL PUNCHING 'APPARATUS Filed Ju1y'1. 1.925 5 sheet-sneet 2 W/7-WESSE5 5mm/M July 26, 1927.

, G. P. THOMAS METAL PUNCHING APPARATUS Filed July l. 1925 //V VEN TOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3` 'July- 26;-1-927.,

G. P.' THOMAS METAL PUNCHING APPARATUS Filed July'l, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jury '26, 1927.1

G. P. THOMAS METAL PUNCHING APPARATUS 5 sheets-sheet4 5 Filed Julyl, 1.925

/M/E/vrwa W/T/VESSES Patented July 26, 1927.

narran i'sTATasi PATENT crimen/l METALPUNCHING QAPPARATUS.

4Application :ledxlnly l, `Serial ZNo. 540,821.

The invention .relates to machinery lor-apparatus for punching` or otherwise ,perforating,` a plurality ot metal blanks so that-they Will have. a 1like arrangement ofrrivetor'bolt Vholes.

An object is `to provide an improved and simpliiied machine ofthe type stated, which, although broadly unlimited tozany particu larfuse, is=especially suitable for smallrshops or tor perforating` small Workin large shops.

A further object is to provid-cfa gmachine in .vvhich after a. perlorating` operationpthe initial movement oi a Work carriage .tor a further perorat-ing operation i-s effected, audits inertia consequently overcome, by mechanical connections coordinated with the pertorating` apparatus, and in which 'the final movement ot the carriage to properly position a hlanl: for a succeeding perforating' ope-ration is effected manually.

A further object is to improve the mounting, lconstruction and operation 'ot linderpin mechanism tor machinery-ot this sort` to the end that when a long; perforated templet is used the tinder-pinmay be moved transverselyv ot the templet Vto compensate for lateral distortions or displacements of the teniplet or of its perfor-ations, and also to theend that when the initial movement of the carriage is effected mechanically the iind-er-pin maybe mechanically Withdrawn 'from a templet perforation before `the -carriage isimoved.

A further object is to provide yan im proved unloader tor machinery ofthe .type here contemplated.

'The invention is illustrated-in the accompanyingdrawings, oit which .l and vEZ area plan view and Jiront elevation. respectively, ot the complete apparatus; Fig, -8 a front elevation ot thepunch andthe spacing table .and vmechanism .adjacent- .to Vit shown in the ecentral portion of Figs. l .and 2; 4: al plan view ot the apparatus shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a.transverse.sectional View taken on the. line V`V, Fig. 4:.; 6 a detail sectional. view talrenon the line 1Vel-- VL 'F '5; Fig'. va side view dt" the .punch and a .transverse lsectional `view of the spacing mechanism, the plane oit view being indicated by the line VIl-Vll, F 2l; Fig. 8 a right end view of the punch as seen lin Fig. 7 g Fig. 9 a` transverse sectional view of the right hand portion of the ivo-rk table showing the construction of an ruiloader` the plane o'li view being' lindicated by the line 10, and. the other arm may be Dil-IX, Fig. 4; and Fig. l0 a. vievvicorrespending` to .'Fig. .9 showing a :modification or" construction. -f l rrEhe invention is illustrated lin .its applicability to apparatus 'for pnnchingaeline'ot holes inan elongate blanke such as astruc turalesteel angle,v channel, plate andtheli-lre, although -some or" the features of vthe inventionare applicable to ,apparatus `for punch inowor otherwise pertorating :wider blanks. Thefapparatus includes a punchinginachine land a. Work table which is preferably formed in two sections, asection 2 at the left ,and ta section -3 latthe .right `of .the punch. v

The punch may be of any desired -orm orfconstruction. As shown particularly 'in Figs. 4 and .7, it comprisesa iframe l of the .lioi'seshoetype having `a vertically ,reciprocable .punching Ahead 5 equipped with a punchingtool 6, the vhead ybeing` adapted rto be reciprocated ,in the usual mannenby an eccentricon a. shaft?? to which rotationlmay be impartedby a driving or 4power Wheel 8 .rotatably .mounted on .the shaft. For es-y tablishing driving vconnection lbetween 'the .vheel V8 `andslia'ft f7, Y.the Wheel -is Iprovided With a clutch element 9, andthe shaftlhas spline'd .on @it flor Llongitudinal movement a clutch element 'l0 normally urged toward-s clutch-breaking position by ksprings l1 and adapted to sition by a bell Ycrank lever '12. The up- Wardly extending' arm of this lever is provided With a. yoke-engaging clutch element attached to an armature '13` ot' an electromagnet '14.: adapted to be energized in a manner presently 'to be explained. The construction and opera-V tion olf 'the clutch somewhat Ydiagramrrnttically-illustratcd'in the drawingslis fully disclosed in=my `pending'application Serial "NO. 28,797, tiled May 8, V`1925. However. l cle- `sire 'to "have it understood that vmy lpresent invention is unlimited to any jparticular form .ot clutch tor the punching or perforating machine.

Astar as. concerns some features of the invention `the Work table maybevariously cons'tructed. l-low-ever;lor'the sake ot' simplicity of .construction `and consepient'economy of manuliactureyand also Jfor-ease of operation of a Work and templet'moving'carriage'supported by'thetable,`theltable preferablyl comprises a .plurality of pedestals 2O andH-sec tions 2l' attached to the upper-ends off the be mov-cd .into clutch-making popedestals with the webs of these sections disposed horizontally. The side of the table adjacent to punch l is provided with a plurality of work-supporting rollers 22, preferably arranged in pairs with the elements of each pair spaced apart. The pairs of work-supporting rollers may be conveniently mounted rotatably upon shafts 23 extending through the upwardly extending flanges of the H- sections.

Mounted upon the two sections 2 and 3 of the work table, and adapted to be moved longitudinally on them, there is a templet and work carriage which for simplicity of construction preferably comprises a channel 25 having its flanges extending downwardly and resting upon grooved rollers 26 rotatably mounted upon rods or shafts 27 supported bythe upwardly extending flanges ofthe H-sections. The outside flange of channel 25 is provided with a rack 2S which meshes with a pinion 29 attached to a shaft 30 which may be rotated by a hand-wheel 3l to move the carriage longitudinally of the table.

A plurality of spaced elements are borne bythe carriage for engagement. by a linderpin` or linger which is .attached to the table and is manually movable into engagement with these elements to position the carriage for blank-perforation. These elements preferably take the form of perforations in an elongate strip, such as an angle 35 -illustrated as being mounted upon the back of channel 25. This perforated templet angle maybe, andpreferably is, the first of a plurality of blanks which it is desirable to provide with a like arrangement of holes. This first blank may be punched in the usual manner by hand, and thereafter used asa templet on the machine. The templet 35 may be attached at its forward end to the forward end of carriage 25 by means of a suitable clamp 3G (Fig. 3), which may be tightened upon the templet angle by a hand screw 37, and may be mounted in a block 38 attached to the carriage.

It has been previously explained that blanks to be punched are supported upon rollers 22. For moving a blank through the punching machine and transversely ofl the line of reciprocation of its head, the blank is attached to carriage 25 preferably by a single clamp at the forward end of the carriage. As shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, this clamp comprises a resilient plate 40 extending laterally from carriage 25 .and having attached to its outer end a pair of jaws 4l and 42 pivoted to each other at 43. The inner end of jaw 41 may be provided with ,an adjustable set screw 44 so that the clamp may firmly engage blanks of different thicknesses, and its outer end `may have pivotally connected to it an arm 45, the upper end of which lies in the path of a trip finger 46, and the lower end of which bears upon the top of plate 40. Trip finger 4G is a1'- ranged at or near the outer end of table section 3 in a position to'be struck by arm 45 to release clamping` jaw 4l during the movement of the carriage after the last hole has been punched in a blank. By connectingthe blank-engaging clamp to carriage 25 through a resilient plate 40, suoli plate may yield vertically to compensate for any irregularities in the horizontal alignment of blank-supported rolls 22.

As seen particularly in Fig. reciprocable finder-pin 5() is arranged adjacent to punch l and above carriage 25 and templet 35. At its upper end this f'mderpin is pivotally attached to a hand lever or arm 5l, which in turn is pivotally connected at 52 to a bracket v53, and is yielding-ly held upwardly by means of a spring 54. Bracket 53, as well as finder-piu 50, are mounted upon the horizontal portion of an arm 55 which is preferably U-shaped and is preferably securely attached to the lower face of the table in a plane in vertical alignment with the finder-pin. It occasionally happens that a long templet such as angle 35 is slightly bent., so that the perforations in it do not lie exactly in a straight line. To con'ipensate for this and any other lack of straight alignment of the templet perforat-ions, arm 55 is preferably `formed of resili-ent metal so that when upon the lowering of lever 5l the lower tapered end of finderpin 50 engages the side of a templet perforation, the further downward movement of the hand lever will cause arm 55 to yield transversely of the templet and carriage to permit the finder-pin to fully ent-er the perforation. By forming arm 55 of resilient metal and of the general U-shape shown in Fig. 7, the .finder-pin may be properly moved transversely of a templet.

As is customary in apparatus of the general type herein disclosed provision is made for setting punch head 5 in operation as soon as the finder-pin fully enters a templet perforation. For this purpose hand lever 5l is provided with a contactor 60 adapted to make contact with a contactor 6l mounted upon bracket 53 when such lever is moved downwardly to a position in which the linder-pin 50 lies fully within a templet perforation. These contactors close a circuit through conductors 62 and 63 .in circuit with electro-magnet 14. Tt will be understood that when the electro-magnet is so energized clutch element 10 is thrown into engagement with its cooperating element 9 to ycause shaft 7 to rotate a complete revolution.

lt has been explained that carriage 25 may' be moved longitudinally Vupon table 2, 3, the manual rotation of hand wheel 3l. It will be readily understood that after the cara vertically esame-rsi riage has been brought to rest for a punching operation considerable elfort is required to: overcome its inertia to set itin. motion again. Furthermore, during ay punchingoperation a burr is usually formed on the die side of a blank, andx this burr partially enters-thedie and offers considerable resistance tothe initial movement of thecarriage. further feature of this invention has: toi do with the provision of mechanism coordinated with the reciprocationlof the perforating tool or punch head for mechanically setting the carriage in motionv jus-t after the tool has beeuwithdrawn from a perforation which itV has made. In additionY tofacilitating the movement of the carriage, this setting-of the carriage in motion just after the perforating tool has been withdrawn has the effect of speeding up the entire perforating operation, because the workman who finally positions the carriage for each punching operation will, in case an initial movement` is meclianically imparted to the carriage, immediately follow that movement-up bythe necessary manual movement ofthe carriage to position the blank for a succeeding punching operation. j

The preferred mechanism for mechanically imparting initialv movement to the carriage is illustrated particularly in Figs. '3, 4, 7 and 8. At the side 'of punch frame 4 there is mounted a rock sha-ft 70, the outer end of which has attached to it the inner end of an arm 71, which arm is provided at-itsf outer end with a pawl 72' springpressed to ward a ratchet wheel T3. Formed as a part of, or rigidly connected to this-ratchet, there is a pinion '74 which engages rack 28 attachedto carriage 25, and both the ratchet wheelf and pinion are rotatably mounted on" shaft .70; lrojecting laterally from the inner endl o shaft T0 there is an arm 75 connected by a link 7G to au arm 77T pivot'ed` at 'Z8 to a: bracl-:et 79, arm 77 being provid-ed at its cuter end with a roller SO'resting upon ay cam S1' attached to punch shaft 7. The position of cam S1 upon shaft T is such that just aftery punch G' is withdrawn from a perforation which it has made, the projection of the cam will raise arm 77, and through link 761 and arm-T5, will rotate shaft to cause pawl l2 to rotate ratchet wheel 73; This rotation of the ratchet wheel causes pinion 74S to move carriage 25. The amount of this carriage movement is not more than the minimumf permissible spacinO of hol-es, and therefore the final positioning of the carriage for a succeeding punching operationmust, in most*` cases, be effected manually by the rotation of Y hand wheel 31, or by equivalent mechanism.

lV-hen in the practice of this invention: initial movement is given to the carriage by the mechanism just described, orby equiv-- alent mechanism, provision is made for me- 1 chanically removing the finderepin. from af templet perforation orelement before the carriage is set in. motion.. llhisz is' to avoid l injury to the. finder-pin:- in. case a workman shouldfail; to release-the finder-pin', operating lever. 51: before the carriage is mechanicallyv set im motion. v

'Ehe preferred mechanism: for this purpose is particularlyy illustrated in Figs., 3, t and 7" its therefshown, a. link 90, comprising a'. pai-rl of bars arrangedone on each side of arm*n 51;, isconnected at its upperendjto the outer end. of an: arm 91 pivotally connected at 921 to.y abracket 93 attached to punch frame 4. lntermediate of its ends, arm 91 is provided with a roller 9% which rests upon a cam 95 attached to pmich-operating shaft 7. Be'- tween tlie lower ends of the bars which forni links 90 there is a spacer or-block 96`which, upon the upper movement of link 90, engages arm- 51 toraise it in case the varm is' in a. downward position. The position ofl caniv 95 upon shaft is such that, through arm'91 and" link 90, finder-pin. operating-arm. 5'1 will be positively raised to remove the linde-r-pin from a templet perforation before thecarriasge is mechanically set in motion bythe mechanism explainedabove; If desired, linkv 90 may be held in its indicated verticali position by a link 97 which connects it to bracket 53. It will be understood' that after link 90L has been raised to move arm 51 upwardly, the link is promptly returned toits down-` ward position topermit the arm to be moved` downward manually to cause the finder-pin to enter a succeeding templet perforation.

A further feature of the invention has-todo with. the provision of improved' unload.- ing mechanism, that is to say mechanism for removing a completelyv perforated blank fromthe blank-supporting rollers 22 of-"t'able section 3. The mechanism for this purpose =is illustrated particularly in Figs. 3', et and? 9: Rotatably' mounted in brackets 100 attached to the inner flange of Hi-sect-ion 21 there is a shaft 101 provided with a plurality of fingers 1'02'whichnorma1lly lie in tlie posit-ions shown in Fig. 9 with their upper ends above the blank-supporting` plane of rollers 22. Attached-to and` depending'- from shaft 1.01 there isV an. arm 1-03Vconnected by aY link 1011 to a hand` lever 105 pivotal'lyat'- tached at 106 to` thebottom of a table support 2O.VV Normally lever' 105' is` -urged towards the table by a spring 107, and in consequence thereof fingers 102 are nor'- mally urged' tothe positions indicated in Fig; 9; or in other words outside of the Ton-A gitudinalpath ofmovement of a: blank rest'- ing upon rollersv22.v After a blank has been punched' and' clampingl jaw 41 (Fig. 6') hasY lao been released either automatically orv man'- fill Not infrequently it is desirable to punch flanged members, such as angles, with their verticalv legs downwardly rather than up`- Wardly as shown in Fig. 9, lli/'hen the blanks are so positioned for punching', it is .necessary to raise their downwardly extending flanges above rollers 22 before the blanks can be moved laterally. `i-iccordingly, in Fig.v 10 there is shown a, modified forni of unloader in which shaft 101iL is supported by brackets 110 outside of rollers 22 and at' a higher elevation than shaft 101 of Fig. 9. Shaft 1011is provided With fingers 102 so positioned that when the shaftis rotated they n'ill rise to lift the downwardly turned flange of a blank above the plane of the tops of rollers 22, and then cause the blank to move laterally upon the rolls. .Fingers 102n preferably extene also to the right of shaft 101 as viewed in Fig', 10 to form downwardly inclined skids for a blank to directit to supports 108.`

In the operation of the machine a templet i5 is attached to carriage by clamp Si@ (Fig. `3) and a blank resting;` upon rollers is attached to the for iard end of the carriage by clampinp; jaivs e151, 4t2, (Fig. G). Thereafter hand Wheel is rotated to brina` the first of the templet perforations into registration with finder pin 50. firm 5l is then lowered to cause the finder-pin to enter the perforation, and `when it has completely entered, contacter G0 of arm 51 makes contact contacter G1 of bracket to close the circuit through electro-magnet 14;. rllhroue'h armature 13 and lever 12, this energizing of the electro-magnet becomes effective to more clutch element into engagement with clutch element 9 to cause a complete rotation of punch shaft 7. Before the punchingoperation coinpletcihA cani raisesarm 01 and link 90 attached to it to lift'arin 51 so as to remove finder pin from the perforation. which it had entered, in case the Workv `man had not previously released arm 51.

Just after punch G is withdrawn from the perforation it has made, the carriage is. setin motion by the paWl-and-ratchet mechanism shown inFig'sjl, Il, l and 8. This mechanism is actuated b y camitll, and comprises arm 77, link 76, arm 75, shaft 70, arm 7l, pavvl 72, ratchet Wheel 78, and pinion 7 After the initial movement of the carriage has been thusV mechanically effected, vthe Workman turns Wheel 31 to position the next templet perforation below finder pin 50, and from this point on the nef-t operation proceeds as that just explained. After a blank has been completely perforated, it is removed from its supporting rollers by pulling1 hand lever 105 outwardly, which results in the proper movements of fingers 102 or 102n to move the blank laterally from rollers 22 so that it falls upon supports 108.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principle and operation of my invention, and have illustintedv and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment.V However, l desire to have it understood that, Within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced by other forms of construction than that particularly shoWn and described.

l claim as myinvention: v

1. ln a metal punching,l apparatus, the combination of a reciproeable punching head provided with punch, means for reciprocating saidv head, a work table, a Carra-ige borne by said table for moving a blank transversely of the path of reciprocation of said punching; head, a perforated templet attachedto and movable with said carriage, a finder-pin manually movable into engagementavith ak perforation of said templet, mechanical driving connections extending from said headreciprocating` means to said carriage adapted after said punch has perforated blank to initially move saidk carriage limited `dist-ance less than a full spacing); interval, and manually operable means for further moving' said carriage the rei ainder of a sfiiacinp; interval to bring a succeedino,v tcuiplet perforation into registration with said Ender-pin.

2. ln a u'ietal punching' apparatus, the combination of a reeiprocable punching head provided. with a punch, means for recipr catin'r said head, a carriage borne by said table or moving a. blank beneath said head, a perforated templet attached to and u'iovalile With said carriage, a 'finder-pin mounted4 fonvertical reciprocation and manually movable into engagement with a per fo 1ation of said templet, pawl-and-ratchet mechanism actuated by said head-reciproeating` means for initially moving` said carriage a limited distance less than a full spacing` interva after said punch has perforated a. blank, and manually operable means for f r'ther moving' said carriage, the

remainder of a spacing` interval to bringr succeedine` templet perforation into registration With said under-pin.

3. ln a metal punching),` apparatus the combination of a punching head provided With a punch. means including a rotatable shaft for r-ciprocatinn1 said head, a Work table provided ivith a plurality ofrollers for supporting' a blank, a carriage borne by said table and coefitensive in length with a blank to be punched, means for attaclfiing` the forward end of a blank 'to the forward end of said carriage, a perforated templet coeiitensive in length with a blank toV be punched borne by and movable With said carriage, a .finder-pin mounted for vertical reciprocation and manually movable into engagement With perforation of said 'templet to directly position a blank for perfofration, ya cam attachedv to said punch-reciprocatingshaft, pawl-and-ratchet mechanism actuated by said cani for mechanically setting said carriage ymotion after said punch has perforated a blank, and manually operable means for further moving said carriage to bring a succeeding perforation into registration with said inder-pin.

4. In a metal perforating appara-tus, the

v combination of a reciprocable perforating riage for engagement by a positioning finger, a linger attached Ito said table and movable into engagement with said elements fto directly and positively position said `carriage for blank perforation, .mechanism coordinated with the recinroca'tion of" 'said tool for mechanically setting 'the carriage in operation after the tool Ahas perforated fa blank, and mechanism coordinated *with the reciprocation of .said tool for removing said iinger from engagement with one of said elements before the movement of said carriage by said carriage-moving mechanism.

5. In a metal punching apparatus, the

combination of a reciprocable punching head provided with a punch. a work table, a

carriage borne by said table for moving a blank transversely of the path of reciprocation of said punching head, a perforated templet attached to and movablewith said carriage, a finder pin manually movable into engagement with a perforation of said teinplet to directly and positively position said carriage 'for blank perforation, a mechanism.

coordinated with the reciprocation of said 40 head for mechanically setting` said carriage in motion after said punch has perforated a blank, and mechanism coordinated with the reciprocation of said head for removing said finder-pin from engagement with a templet perforation before the movement of said carriage by said carriage-moving mechanism.

6. In a metal punching apparatus, the

combination of a punching head provided 5U with a punch, a work table, means including a rotatable shaft for reciprocating said head, a carriage borne by said table 'for moving a blank transversely of the path of reciprocation of said punching head, a per-- forated teniplet attached tto and movable with said carriage, finder-pin manually movable into engagement with a perforation of said templet, mechanism coordinated with the reciprocation of said head for mechanically setting said carriage in motion after said punch has perforated a blank, a cam connected to said head-reciprocating shaft, and connections from said cam to said find-- erpin for removing the finder-pin from a 'templet perforation before movement of said carriage by said carriage-moving `mech- LIIISIH..

7. In a metal punching apparatus, s'the combinationwith a reciprocable ,punching head Aprovidedfwith :a punch, of a table pro-fy vided at' one side Ywith a Ypluralityof rollers for supportinga blank, and provideda'lso with vcarriage-supporting zrollers, an y'elongate carriage borne `*by said carriage-supporting urollers, a vertically yieldablel plate extending laterally from said carriage and provided .atits' outer lend vwith `means Vfor engaging a blank, a pluralityrof spaced elements borne by. said carriage for engagement byfa positioning finger, a finger attached toaid tabley and lmanually movableinto ensaiditable. 1 .f Y Y 8. In a metal punching apparatus; .the

lcombination with a reciprocable punching yhead equipped with na punchfof aj work tablefcomprising'-pedestals yarranged ait-'each side of said head and H-shaped sections supported on the pedestals with their flanges extending vertically, blank-supporting rollers at one side of said sections and supported by them, carriage-supporting rollers attached to the upwardly extending flanges of said sections, a carriage comprising a channel-shaped section having its flanges extending downwardly and resting upon said carriage-supporting rollers, means for attaching to said carriage a blank resting upon said blank-supporting rollers, a plurality of spaced elements borne by said carriage for engagement by a positioning finger, a linger attached to said table and manually movable yinto engagement with said elements to directly position said carriage for blank perforation, and manually operable means for moving said carriage upon said table. ,I

9. In a metal punching apparatus, the combination with a reciprocable punching head equipped with a punch, of a table comprising pedestals arranged at each side of said head and H-shaped sections supported on the pedestals with their flanges extending vertically, blank-supporting rollers at one side of.said sections and supported by them, carriage-supporting rollers attached to the upwardly extending flanges of said sections, a carriage comprising a channel-shaped section having its iianges extending downwardly and resting upon said carriage-supporting rollers, means for attaching to said carriage a blank resting upon said blank-supporting rollers, a perforated templet attached to the top of said carriage, a iinder-pin mounted for vertical reciprocation and manually movable into engagement with a perforation of said templet to Ydirectly position said ioo carriage for blank perforation, and manually operable means for moving said carf riage.

' l0. In a metal punching apparatus, the combination with a reclprocable punching 4head equipped with a punch, of a work table extending laterallyfrom opposite sides of said head, and provided with blank-supporting rollers, a carriage borne by said table and provided ivlth means folengaging a blank borne by said rollers, manually oper- Yable means for moving said carriage upon the table, an elongate perforated templet mounted on said carriage, .a vertically reciproeable iinder-pin for engaging the perforations of said templet, and means including a resilient arm yieldable transversely of said .Work tablehaving a plurality of Work-supporting rollers at its side adjacent to the punching machine, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally of and supported by said table and having a plurality of lingers attached to it in positions to engage a blank supported by said rollers, and means to rotate said shaft to cause said fingers to move a blank laterally from said rollers.

12. In a metal punching apparatus, the combination with a punching machine, of a Work table having' a plurality of'nforkssupporting rollers at its side adjacent to the punching machine, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally of said table at the sides of said rollers adjacent to the said punching machine, said shaft being provided with a plurality of fingers in positions to engage the lower portions of a blank supported by said rollers, and means to rotate said shaft to cause the said fingers to first raise and then move laterally from said rollers a perforated blank supported by the rollers,

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

GEORGE P. THOMAS. 

